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Serious computer-problems...again.
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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:18 am    Post subject: Serious computer-problems...again. Reply with quote

Computer-trouble seems to consistently hit me around yuletide every year.

This year, however, it's particularly worrying and insidious.

I am currently unable to open Firefox. I can't open it -whatsoever-...it won't even load an empty browser-screen. I click on it...and nothing happens. I've tried to delete it, then download the program again from Mozilla using IE (gods forbid, but I have to use that nowadays), and finally reinstalling...but to no avail. Opera does load an empty browser screen, but will not load a single page. All I have left is IE, which still works.

Several online programs of mine have also completely stopped working.

As if this isn't bad enough, I can't use the 'restart' option on the shutdown screen anymore. It won't close the computer down. Nor can I even shut the machine down normally. I have to do a cold reset, let it boot and then very quickly do 'shut down' before basically anything loads.

I'm quite worried...and very confused. I don't know what is going on, nor do I know how to fix this.

*sighs*
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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And an update on the computer problems.

They were in fact as serious as one might have feared. This means that I lost most of a chapter I had been working on, but that's -hardly- a problem, deep down. The computer was so badly affected by something that after posting the start of this thread, I was unable to connect to any webbrowser anymore. Mozilla Firefox simply would not load for any reason. IE and Opera would start a screen, which would then go on and on with it's 'searching' screen forever, without ever finding a site. I could connect to games, and I could connect to MSN messenger, Yahoo and Skype...but that was -it-. In the end, I finally got a hold of Dell's hotline and the result was that they guided me through how to format my harddisk and reinstall windows. However, I need a few CD's that they are sending in the mail with drivers and suchlike before I can get back online, which means that not only do I have to rewrite that chapter I lost, but I won't be able to send it until sometime between Christmas and New Years Eve...

It sucks, but it had to be done. My machine couldn't even shut down or reboot, except by cold reset, and -everything- was buggy and lagged to the nth degree. Now, after the reinstall, I could at least shut it down and reboot so I am hopeful this will work out well.

*hugs all around, with the wish of a merry yuletide for you all*

Happy solstice.
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The Silver Coyote
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Joined: 09 Nov 2003
Posts: 491
Location: Rogue River Valley, Oregon

PostPosted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just out of curiosity, dear, what version of Microsoft Internet Exploder were you using? Had you recently updated to version 7?

A few of us have slogged through long periods of time recovering from the damage that MS IE7 inflicted on our systems. On my own laptop it took me three and a half days to rebuild everything, and there were a couple of applications that I have lost forever thanks to IE7.

The only saving grace is that it seems to be a fairly simple thing to uninstall IE7, provided your system boots up normally.

Just a thought, before you re-format and loose everything.

SC

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Valaina
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Joined: 18 Aug 2005
Posts: 45
Location: West Yorkshire, England

PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope it isn't anything I did to it.....

*looks sheepishly guilty*

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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I didn't use IE7. And everything -is- uninstalled already. I have no net-access...yet. I'm writing this from my parent's computer.

I would like to wish you all a merry Christmas/Happy solstice and all the best for the coming year.
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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Still no news. I hate to say this but it looks like I'm in for a long, long stretch here. If I'm lucky, I can get my internet up and running before new year...but no promises made. I am having -real- computer issues. I have NO drivers of any kind so although it doesn't seem to be a hardware issue, I'm still in a load of trouble as I can't connect to the internet and thereby GET the drivers I need.

The computer company I bought this from (Dell) promised to send the drivers on a CD on December 21st, but it's still not arrived. Christmas-mail and so on, I suppose...

I'm so sorry all...at least Fikrann has enough chapters to keep posting for a while.
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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally some news...and I fear they are bad.

While my hardware works perfectly (apparently), I still need all the CD's with the various drivers and windows installations and whatnot to arrive from Dell. I called them today to ask why I was -still- waiting when they said I would have them on the 26th. The man on the phone then told me the following.

1: the person I had spoken to the last time had given incorrect information on my file. Saying -I- had asked how to format my harddrive. In fact, he simply got me started on it before I had a chance to figure out what he was doing. I lost -everything- on my harddrive. Fortunately, most of my writing was saved on a USB key...but he didn't ask 'do you have anything you need to save first?'

2: That first person I spoke to no longer works for Dell. He quit on Christmas eve.

3: He didn't send the CD's with all the drivers and windows installation as he promised he would on the 21st of December. In fact...the bastard didn't send them AT ALL.

4: The second person I spoke to promised on his mother's grave he'd send the CD's today...but unfortunately, I may have to wait as much as eleven -WORKING- days...meaning I may have it sometime in the middle of January if I'm lucky.

5: I'm -frak*-.

Basically, I'm so angry I can't sit still in this chair for more than a few minnutes at a time. It means that since I came home from Norway on December eleventh, I've effectively had internet access for two days. While Valaina was visiting me. But I'm still paying for the whole month. And all because Dell's costumer service -stinks-.
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Styx
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
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Location: West Covina, California

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you ask to speak to a supervisor you may be able to get them to overnight the CDs to you if you tell him/ or her everything, we normally do stuff like that at work in fact I can send stuff up to 2 day air without approval from a supervisor.
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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sad to say, Styx...that's precisely what I asked for and the answer was 'yes, I understand this must be a bit of a bummer, but it takes up to eleven working days to get it to you anyway.'

Result, I have made the nasty decision and handed my computer in by the web-cafe across the street from my home (quick swing home, then back to my friends' place in Aalborg where I will spend New Years Eve looking after their pet rats Smile ).

It cost me 325 kroner...about 30 pounds or 50 dollars, but it should be done tomorrow. Meaning with a touch of luck, I have my computer back and WORKING on monday.

That, at least is my hope. Good -gods- I'm sick of this.

Put it this way. The stress level after I got back from Norway has been so severe that until now, I have only managed to write a chapter and a half in all that time. As my proofers know, that is an -absurdly- small amount of writing from me in that time.

Gah...

Here's to hope *sips her good, dark ale and contemplates murderizing Dell's entire costumer service department with extreme prejudice*
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The Silver Coyote
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Joined: 09 Nov 2003
Posts: 491
Location: Rogue River Valley, Oregon

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm sorry you're having such trouble, dear. Unfortunately yours is probably not an isolated event. Hewlett Packard's vaunted tech support was unable to help me re-install a small application on my laptop after IE7 blew it up. It's software HP developed, which is installed on virtually all the consumer systems they sell, and does nothing more than visit HPs web site regularly to check for driver updates and the like. Yet in spite of the strongly proprietary overtones of the situation, HP failed to rise to the challenge.

I'm sorry Dell gave you the brush-off. There are very few places in the world you can't "overnight" things to now. Your supervisor at Dell was more interested in saving his employer a few miserable units of currency than any of them appear to have been interested in resolving a customer difficulty. No wonder they insist on calling themselves "technical support" instead of "customer support."

I hope you get back on line soon. My in-box has been strangely empty, lately. If there is any way I may be of assistance, please let me know.

Feliz Ano Nuevo, Potranquita!

SC

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shadowjaguar
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Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Posts: 184
Location: Georgia, USA

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

*Hands the filly a box full of chocolate coated horseshoes*

Here, try shoving these down their throats. One of two things will happen, you will either get their attention and they will take you seriously.
Or they wont be sitting down for a week.

Either way, it works. ^^

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You have to admit, that is funny....and puts soooo many pictures in your head.
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Aslaug
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Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark

PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As I'm back, I've learned something very important.

Those of you who have had contact with me over Yahoo Messenger, I must regretfully tell that this will no longer be possible in the future. I almost had a nervous collapse tonight as I was reinstalling all the various parts of my setup, and I suddenly had problems again. I was nearly on the verge of tears when I realized that it was because Yahoo messenger quite simply crashes my computer.

Please, don't ask me why. It just does. I know it shouldn't. But it does. If you want to stay in contact with me, please use Skype (once I remember what my own skype-account's name is, that is) or MSN messenger. MSN is the biggest and probably the most thoroughly checked online messenger service in the world by now, anyway. If you need my contact info, it's in my profile, I believe.

*hugs all around and goes back to trying to get her computer set up*
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Aylah
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Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:39 pm    Post subject: Yahell! messenger Reply with quote

Hey filly, an idea, if you decide later on that you DO need access to the YIM network because someone you know ONLY uses Yahell!'s messaging....

Try Gaim. It's an open-source (translation: free and no spyware) program that can access just about any instant messaging service.

http://gaim.sourceforge.net/about.php

is the address, is a small download and installs really easily. I've also never had it crash an entire computer. sometimes the program itself will crash, but that's extremely rare, and normally is restricted to one particular messaging service, not the whole program.

Worth a shot, if it keeps ya from pulling any more hair out. ^_^
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Trekkie
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Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 151

PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Yahell! messenger Reply with quote

Aylah wrote:


Try Gaim. It's an open-source (translation: free and no spyware) program that can access just about any instant messaging service.

http://gaim.sourceforge.net/about.php


Yes, I would highly recomend GAIM as well. It is what I use for my IM accounts. It works well in linux and windows(I use it in both).

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shadowjaguar
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Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Posts: 184
Location: Georgia, USA

PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use Trillian myself when I have multipule IM programs up at the same time. I might looks into GAIM though.
_________________
"I'm not sure yet, but it'll involve a bucket of sour cream, three carrots, an architect lamp and a lump hammer. Possibly a fish." -Jean LeBrun, Transitions Chapter 22
You have to admit, that is funny....and puts soooo many pictures in your head.
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